1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to a modular pool cover support device for supporting the weight of a pool cover accumulated water and debris without in ground anchoring hooks. More particularly the invention pertains to a portable, storable and reusable pool cover support held together by the compressive forces exerted by the pool cover and accumulated water and debris while the pool cover is deployed during long periods of non use.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 C.F.R. 1.97 and 1.98
The most popular prior art pool covers in use include straps which are anchored around the periphery of in ground swimming pools utilizing anchoring bolts disposed in the masonry surrounding the pools. These prior art anchoring fixtures provide a suitable support for pool covers during long winter periods when the pool is not in use since they securely maintain the pool cover in place despite the heavy weight of accumulated ice, snow, rain, leaves and other debris that collect on the pool cover in the fall and during the winter.
Referring now to prior art FIG. 1 the most popular swimming pool cover support system 40 is illustrated having a swimming pool cover 42. Swimming pool cover 42 is tensioned in place by straps 44 of swimming pool cover 42 that are held in place by anchoring pins 46 (FIG. 2) over the pool in which the water level 47 has been lowered. Straps 44 include an elastomeric portion or springs or other tensioning devices 43 to adjust to pins 46 which are disposed in masonry 48 which may include surrounding tile or decorative stone work 50. Popular pool covers having such straps include pool covers manufactured by Raner, Loop-Loc, Equator and Arctic Armor.
The prior art has generally avoided anchoring pool covers to coping 52 since coping 52 is held in masonry 48 by a cement 54. Swimming pool cover 42 is designed to cover coping 52 and cement 54 as the admission and freezing of water in cement 54 loosens coping 52 resulting in expensive masonry work. However the problem of openings 56 in masonry 48 present much the same problem of deterioration of coping by the admission and freezing and refreezing of water. Further such openings 56 interfere with the aesthetic appearance of the pool particularly when filled with accumulated winter debris.
The problem with the most popular anchoring bolts is they require a modification of the masonry surrounding the pool. The surrounding masonry must be drilled, tapped or otherwise damaged to accept the anchoring bolts. These anchoring bolts are generally recessed in the masonry in summer months for safety to prevent injury, but such recessed anchors collect water, debris and ice which serves to damage the masonry surrounding the pool due to repeated freezing and thawing of water that accumulates in the recessed anchor openings.
As a result the prior art has sought to solve the problem of utilizing fixed anchoring bolts by providing a portable and modular support system that does not rely upon anchoring bolts fixed in the masonry surrounding the swimming pool. Once such example is Demby U.S. Pat. No. 5,970,531.
A number of drawbacks result from modular support systems. One is complexity of the deployment of the system. Another problem is that if the system arches over the pool any water, ice or snow on the pool cover drains off the pool cover and is lost. Such arching systems include Demby U.S. Pat. No. 5,970,531; Oke Publ No. U.S. 2004/0111795 A1 and Johnston U.S. 2007/0199141 A1. Another problem is the storage of the support system during periods of non use. The more components involved and the greater the amount of bulk the greater the problem of storage and deployment. Finally the problem of modular systems is that suppliers and manufacturers must manufacture and stock a wide variety of modular systems to accommodate the different sizes and shapes of swimming pools in use.
A prior art pool cover assembly having a similar outward appearance to the invention is Scardenzan U.S. Pat. No. 4,135,259. The outward appearance is where the similarity ends as Scardenzan U.S. Pat. No. 4,135,259 requires a separate storage house, complex mechanical linkage systems and is not easily assembled, disassembled and stored by a homeowner without special tools.
Another prior art system is disclosed in Perez, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,527. Perez, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,527 describes a pool cover support system that does not require special tools and can be assembled, disassembled and stored by a consumer. Perez, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,527 further indicates it is made up of a plurality of adjustable frame assemblies capable of accommodating different size pools.
Perez, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,527 is otherwise mechanically and physically different than the invention. The invention does not only span one direction but instead both longitudinally and transversely the length and width of the pool. The invention further does not attach to the coping of the pool which due to repeated motion of the pool cover can result in the weakening of the cement holding the coping. This constant motion of the pool cover and weakening of the cement holding the coping together results in expensive masonry work in a manner similar to the anchoring bolts used in the most widely used pool cover support system as previously discussed. Finally the invention does not use telescoping adjustable support apparatus since such telescoping members are generally too weak to provide a reliable pool cover support. The invention instead uses modular components to accommodate varying shapes and sizes of pools and supports the pool cover without attachment to coping on opposite edges of the pool.
Consequently there is a recognized need in the art for a modular pool cover support constructed of simple components that can be assembled together to accommodate a wide variety of shapes and sizes of swimming pools that accommodate popular sized pool covers without using anchoring bolts disposed in the masonry surrounding the swimming pool or that require attachment to the coping or decorative tile surrounding the pool. There is further a need for a swimming pool cover with the foregoing attributes that maintains the standard swimming pool cover in a substantially flat condition above the pool so that ice, snow and water can eventually migrate through the standard pool cover to save water.
Finally there is a recognized need for a pool cover made of inexpensive components that can be repeatedly assembled, disassembled and stored that can be utilized by a homeowner without special tools or skills. Further such components should not mar, rust, discolor or otherwise disfigure expensive swimming pool coping or masonry.